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Rooftop community presses district to reinstate Casa after‑school MOU as board schedules follow‑up
Summary
Parents, teachers and alumni of Rooftop Elementary urged the board to reverse plans to cancel the district MOU with Casa (after‑school program) and to postpone any eviction; Casa and community leaders said the program provides crucial social‑emotional learning and inclusion for diverse students.
Hundreds of Rooftop families, staff and Casa alumni made a late‑night appeal to the school board on June 23 after the district signaled it would cancel the MOU with Casa, a long‑standing after‑school nonprofit whose programming emphasizes arts, restorative practice and social‑emotional learning.
Community testimony: Parents described Casa as an essential program that supports LGBTQIA students, children with disabilities and low‑income families. Several parents read statements and petitions; Casa’s executive director asked the board to postpone eviction and to work toward a negotiated solution. "CASA is magic. CASA is love. CASA is Rooftop," said a parent reading student comments.
Staff and district response: Casa’s leadership met with district staff earlier in the day and reported constructive engagement. District staff acknowledged competing budget pressures and the need to examine contracts and MOUs; the board heard requests to suspend any immediate termination while staff and community seek alternatives, including possible restructured terms.
Outcome and next steps: The board did not take an immediate action to evict Casa during the meeting; Casa and parents asked the board to postpone eviction and to help broker a path forward so the nonprofit could continue serving Rooftop students. Community organizers launched a public petition and asked the district to pursue a negotiated solution.
Why it matters: Casa provides after‑school structured learning and social supports for hundreds of children; parents said losing the program would deprive children of restorative practice and inclusion programming at a time when emotional supports are especially important.
The district said it would continue discussions with Casa and parents; community groups pledged to continue organizing and fundraising to preserve the program.
